Man's favourite sport
by Bella
Summary: Set after season 3's ep „Jeannie, the hip hippie", as extended ending and AU. What if Tony had gone to Little Bear Lake and Jeannie with the Boyce and Hart Group to Chicago?
1. Chapter 1

**Man's Favourite Sport**

Set after season 3's ep „Jeannie, the hip hippie", as extended ending and AU. What if Tony had gone to Little Bear Lake and Jeannie with the Boyce and Hart Group to Chicago?

I know Tony requested in the episode's beginning pack mules, horses and a guide. But when he fiddled with the zipper of his sleeping bag and Mrs. Bellows came to his aid the hilarious movie _„Man's Favourite Sport"_ starring Rock Hudson came instantly to my mind and suddenly there was the scenic layout of this little story.

 _This means thoughts._

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE: TONY'S HAVING A BALL**

„Jeannie, would you just..."

Of course, there was no answer and no one to clean up after him. Jeannie was in Milwaukee, Michigan, Maine or any other place other than Little Bear Lake.

Wearily Tony threw the empty beer cans and potato chips bags into the half filled trash bag. Again it was a too long, too lonely evening spent with his new best buddies. They were a weird bunch of men out in the great wide open, each trying to forget the traitorous women in their lives.

There was Hank, who had been married happily - in his opinion, but now looked at the ruins of of his life. With the children out of the house his wife Edna had begun to work as a part-time secretary. In Hank's world married women didn't work. They stayed at home and took care of their home and family. Even if said family was now reduced to him and Edna alone. Again and again he complained to his new found friends that for 25 years he had been the bread-winner. His entire life he had worked hard, done his duty in the Pacific during the war, married his high-school sweetheart, they had three children over the years and their ups and downs like every married couple, went to church every Sunday like all good Christians and put a tenner into the offering every time, and never, not once Edna had indicated that she was dissatisfied with their life. And now all of a sudden she dabbled in community politics, gave speeches about woman's liberation and the civil-rights movement, called the President disrespectfully LBJ and went to New York with her friends to see shows, visit art exhibitions, do some shopping in fancy department stores and the like. What was wrong with Reverend Claythorn's amateur dramatic society and Sam Silverstein's general store? Suddenly he and his work weren't enough any more. He looked at his wife for 25 years and saw a complete stranger he couldn't understand.

And then there was John, who had been stood up at the altar. His ex-fiancée had bought herself a Greyhound ticket to San Francisco to embark on a journey of self-discovery. 500 dollars, read five hundred!, invested in rings, church, food, morning suit, honeymoon trip to Little Bear Lake and what else not and nothing to show for! Life sure wasn't fair and women the most illogical and unreliable creatures. As far as he was concerned he was through with them! At least he got a small refund when he exchanged the spacey room at the Lodge for a campsite place. Still. Five hundred bucks! FIVE!

And third in their gang was George to whom women were a general mystery. For years now he tried to keep a woman interested in him for longer than three dates. Tony had quickly realised that his new friend was obsessed with fishing. He was editor of a special interest magazine on fishing. Every weekend he went on a fishing trip, every holiday was spent at a lake. His only topic, the only interesting topic to George, was fishes. No wonder women left as quickly as they came. But George was incorrigible that way and didn't listen to Tony's subtle hints to broaden his range of topics and interests.

And lastly, the fourth Musketeer was Tony: genie-less and abandoned by his girl in favour for four wanna-be-Monkees. Although to be fair, Jeannie had given him a choice. Either to accompany them to the various gigs Jeannie had organised for them or to go alone on vacation. So it hadn't been much of a choice, but still. And he had blown it. Overworked and overwhelmed he had driven them to the Cocoa Beach bus station and given Jeannie two fifty-dollar bills to buy them tickets for Chicago. He NEEDED his REST, badly, he had tried to explain to her once more and had given her a choice in return – either him or the boys, because he for sure wouldn't spend his evenings back-stage and listen to too loud music and screaming girls and spend his day driving them to the next gig on too little sleep. The only destination he would drive to was Little Bear Lake! The wound Jeannie had torn in his heart when she had got out and the bewildered boys climbed out of his car still wasn't healed. She had turned around and had quietly wished him restful days and then she had left him. Just left, blinked away the large wardrobe she usually kept in her bottle and then she had been gone. Just like that. Poof! For minutes he had stared shattered at the empty seat beside him. She really had made her choice and it hadn't been him! She had left him... as usually when she didn't get her own way or things got really tough between them, he thought uncharitably. Two thousand years old and still such an immature child sometimes! He was the master and he stood firm!

Of course later he had tried to rationalise her betrayal when his disappointment and frustrated rage had calmed down. Because it surely felt like one. For more than two years he had been her centre of the universe and sole attachment figure. And he often wished that she would find outside interests like when she had written that blasted book on child rearing, which would lessen the pressure on him by being her master, her friend, her confidant, her love interest and generally the only man in her life, if you left Roger out of the equation. He wouldn't have to be her rock at any given moment and constantly be larger than life. Being apart for a couple of weeks would give them back some perspective and independence and be healthy for their undefined relationship.

Well, so far all the perfectly reasonable reasons had failed to convince him. Tony was lonely, miserable as sin and mentally kicked himself every time he called out for Jeannie for a little something, which felt like 20 times a day on average. He had a truly terrible time and two more weeks to go! Why, oh why had his pride and his dammed stubbornness raised their heads at the bus station? Surely it wouldn't have been sooo bad to spend three weeks on the road? Really, what had he been thinking! Three weeks without Jeannie? By the end of them he'd be insane from longing and worry! While she had adjusted well enough to modern life that Tony could leave her alone to go shopping by now, Jeannie was in no way fit to spend entire weeks alone in strange cities, where she met strange people every day. His girl was lost without him to guide and protect her! Surely he couldn't trust four young men she had randomly picked up at street corners in Cocoa Beach to look out for her! He must have been utterly and totally mad, when he had let her go!

And here he was sitting in a tent in a mosquito infested hell-hole spending his evenings with three other men with whom he had really nothing in common just to keep himself from thinking of and missing Jeannie and spending his days trying unsuccessfully to catch some fish and listening to George's condescending advice on fishing and valiantly trying NOT to think of and miss Jeannie and worry ceaselessly.

He bet she was having a ball meeting all kinds of handsome and rich men and they all would flock around her as usually when they went out and he let her out of his sight for even one minute – just like last time they went down to Miami for some dinner and dancing and he excused himself for a short trip to the restroom only to come back to find her at the bar, sipping champagne and six eager men were crowding in on the stunning blonde with that charming mix of old woman's wisdom and young girl's naiveté that put a spell on every man who met her. What if she met a real man this time who would pay her the attention she craved and she so deserved? Who would be more of a romantic? Who would be better mentally equipped to handle her disasters? Who could be a tender lover to her? Who had the guts to put her before his career?

And what was he doing in the meanwhile?! Pining over Jeannie! It was pathetic. _He_ was pathetic! Frustrated Tony threw his trash bag onto the ground. He resolved to clean up the rest of their poker game tomorrow. And in the evening he would shave and clean himself up and put on his dinner suit Jeannie had packed for him and then he would get into his car and drive up to the main lodge a couple of miles away on the other side of the lake and have dinner and perhaps he wouldn't have to dine alone and perhaps he would do some slow dancing afterwards with a beautiful girl in his arms with long, blonde hair and an enticing cleavage and inviting hips that swayed just the right way when she moved. No. No, no, NO! She would be brunette! He used to go for brunettes before Jeannie. Maybe it was time he took one or two old habits down the shelf and dust them off. Exactly that was what he was going to do! Tomorrow evening and every evening after that! From now on he was through with moping! He was a free agent, a bachelor who had no one but himself to answer to. It was high time that he remembered that. Really, it was such a relief to be away from Jeannie, who couldn't ruin his dates, because she didn't know about them because **she was too busy having a good time on her own**! Yes, sir, that's what the doctor prescribed! _Girls, get your prettiest dresses out, Tony 'Wolf' Nelson is on the prowl again!_

 _tbc_


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO: DON'T YOU KNOW ME?**

Disclaimer: Sidney Sheldon Productions created _I dream of Jeannie_ and hold all the rights _._

* * *

Whistling Tony picked up his trash bag to tie it and put it away where the racoons couldn't get to it.

Trying to brush your teeth while whistling didn't work, but that for sure didn't put a cramp on Tony's new outlook on life. Instead his small portable radio provided the mood music. And full of confidence he sauntered over to one of his suitcases to take out his dinner suit and hang it on one of the tent's rails. Not one crease, just as if it had been freshly pressed! His girl really knew how to pack. Oh, the irony of it! All her best efforts and another girl would reap what she sowed. And that went well with the small unopened box he had tossed into a corner upon finding it in a fit of frustrated rage a couple of days ago. Roger had smuggled it in, while they hadn't paid attention. _„Have fun – Roger – P.S. I won't even ask"_ his friend had written on the small card accompanying it. Where had it g... ah, there it was... perfect! Diane had been the last one he had shared nights of passion with. And that had been over four years ago. A very, very long time for a male in his prime. But then his request for a transfer to NASA had come though and a couple of months after moving to Cocoa Beach he had met Melissa and the general had quickly laid down the rules of what was allowed and what would happen to him, if he chose to disobey his orders when he had asked him for permission to take out his daughter for dinner and a movie. And seducing Melissa and making love to her before they were married... well, he would have had to pay with a firing squad for that. In hindsight Tony wondered why his respect for the general had always been so much greater than the love he had felt for Melissa and why he hadn't noticed that back then and ignored wilfully Melissa's increasingly frequent attempts to seduce him before their wedding night. And then Jeannie came along. And that really put _things_ on hold for him.

So _fun_ – hell, yes, please! That had been definitely on his agenda for the holidays. In the soft light of his lantern he plopped down and crawled into his sleeping bag and looked at the jacket. And his good mood evaporated. Oh, come on, who did he try to delude ?

This suit was meant for Jeannie. She thought it brought out the colour of his eyes to his advantage and she always loved to see him wearing it when he took her out. He had asked her to pack it at a time they had been full of anticipation. Well, he had been full of anticipation and Jeannie must have picked it up from him, because she had been more affectionate than usual with him. Her good night kisses had lingered, she had readily snuggled into his arms when they had watched a show on TV, she had caught him running his eyes over her figure... a thousand little things that created an atmosphere of awareness of one another that was always there as an undercurrent but never displayed so openly before. He was more than ready to complicate their already complicated relationship even further and he had desperately hoped she would be open to it, too.

Oh, god, why wasn't she with him? He had wanted to fall asleep next to her for the first time and have her be the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes in the morning. He wanted her to complain about his bristly good morning kiss and admonish him playfully to go shaving, if he wanted another one. Far away from the prying eyes of people who knew him he had wanted to „play house" with her to see how it would go, if they were a real couple. He had wanted to make this vacation a bubble out of time and without any distractions where they could be truly Tony and Jeannie instead of master and genie.

He was about to blow out the light, when he heard a voice calling out from outside the tent.

„Master?"

JEANNIE!

Hastily Tony tried to scramble out of his sleeping bag. Why did the zipper always get stuck in the most inopportune moments? He cursed under this breath.

„Jeannie? That you?" He called out and finally yanked the zipper down, only to fall over the sleeping bag at his feet, when he leapt over to the tent's opening. She was here! She had come back to him! He got up again in a second.

„Yes, master."

She popped in and collided with him, that his her forehead collided with his chin and sent him sprawling backwards.

„OUCH!" She complained and rushed to her master's side, when he looked up at her dazed.

„Oh, master, I'm so sorry." Her own pain instantly forgotten.

Tony groaned and she cradled his head, caressing his cheek and chin.

„Where does it hurt?" She asked worriedly, busily taking inventory of his injury and his general appearance. Oh my, what had happened to him during her absence? She vowed to herself to never leave him alone again for such a long time. Obviously he didn't know how to take care of himself properly.

Tony gingerly felt his chin. Was there a tooth loose? Carefully he felt around with his tongue. No, thank God for small mercies.

„What are you doing here?" He asked ungraciously, although his heart was doing cartwheels in his chest. It simply wouldn't do to let Jeannie see how much he had missed her. She already had way too much power over him as it was. And worse, she knew it.

Taken aback she stuttered. „Well, the boys... just finished another gig... and I thought...I'd pop in... to see...how are you, master? Can I do something for you?"

„Oh, I see. You just wanted to ease your bad conscience by looking in on your boring, old master before you continue gallivanting with strangers. Then let me assure you, I'm perfectly fine, thank you, Jeannie. In fact I'm having a ball myself and I already feel much rested. So, now that you know, you can just go back to Chicago or where ever you came from." Tony blustered.

It might have fooled any other person, but not Jeannie and not anymore. By now she knew her master quite well and had developed a knack for looking beneath the mask he showed the world to protect himself from getting hurt. And she just knew what to do to put him into a forgiving mood. She slipped her arms around his neck and tried to snuggle awkwardly into his side to rest her head onto his shoulder and started cooing softly.

„Oh, master, but I won't go back. I've come to stay with you for the rest of your vacation. I never meant to leave you alone. You know how much I miss you when we're not together."

And right, Tony turned his upper body towards her and returned her hug awkwardly.

„I only did it, because... I couldn't well leave the boys alone, now could I? I pulled them out of their lives, how could I toss them right back, now that they fulfilled their original purpose? Don't you know me at all by now, master?" She asked forlorn.

She raised her head to look into his eyes. And of course Tony could never resist for long when she looked at him with her big, blue expressive eyes so close to his own and asked for forgiveness. Of course Jeannie would never have left them to fend for themselves. She wouldn't be his girl, if she did. She was a much too good and giving person to act so selfishly.

„Oh, Jeannie..." he sighed in capitulation, pulled her sideways onto his lap to be more comfortable and leant in. Strange how he felt his body automatically relax whenever he kissed Jeannie. All the angry and hurt tension he had carried around for a week... just gone. And just to be sure he went right in for a second helping, when they broke apart. Yes, definitely gone. His real vacation had just started.

„I missed you, too." He confessed mellowly.

„You did?" She searched his face with pounding heart.

„Of course. I always miss you when you're not with me. Do you still not know that by now?" He echoed and tightened his embrace of her as much as possible and was rewarded by one of her radiant smiles that always made him feel like king of the world, a weak-kneed king of the world that is. And for long moments they simply sat on the cool tent floor in each other's arms, revelling in the end of their silly fight.

„Now, how about you getting your bottle and then you can tell me what happened?" Tony suggested spirited when they eventually broke apart.

„Of course, master, if you wish. But I thought... I was kind of looking forward to sleeping in a sleeping bag for the first time. It sounded so exciting. Where is it?" She looked around in the small tent.

„Ahm, I left it in Cocoa Beach. You see, I went back to the house to get the rest of the stuff after... well, in order to fit everything into the car I had to leave some other things behind, among those your sleeping bag and mat. I thought you wouldn't need them anyway with you heading for Chicago." He couldn't meet her eyes, feeling low for his lack of trust in her.

„Oh."

„But why don't you blink home to get them?" Tony tried to make up for his blunder.

She perked up.

„Of course. I'll be back in a blink."

Tony allowed himself only half a second to revel in his happiness before he snapped into action. Where was his fishing rod and knife? And a piece of paper and a pen? He hadn't much time and he wanted to be prepared for her return. Hastily he scribbled a short note and cut off a piece of his fishing line to fix the note at the tent's opening. He had just adjusted the light to low, when Jeannie returned with her bottle and the camping equipment.

„I'm back. What do I do now, master?"

He took her stuff. „Just move over there. I'll do it for you." Carefully he checked the ground for pebbles, but the soil beneath the tent floor felt quite even, then he unrolled her mat, right next to his.

„It's going to be a rather tight fit, so I hope you don't mind, that you're going to sleep right next to me." He didn't hear any protest forthcoming in his back.

„And now … the sleeping bag." He rolled it out and motioned for her to get in.

„And that's how it's done?"

„That's how it's done."

„Very well, master." She smoked into her bottle and moments later she smoked back out, now dressed in her pink dressing gown. A bit embarrassed she scrambled into her bag and pulled up the zipper.

„Ahm, Jeannie. You might want to get rid of your dressing gown." Tony suggested carefully. „It'll be much more comfortable, if you do."

She snuggled deeper into her sleeping bag so only her head was visible and blinked. As revealing her genie outfit was as buttoned down she was about her nightwear. He had never seen it in all their time together and Tony was dying to know what she wore beneath her dressing gowns. In fact during their first year he had been almost obsessed with the need to know and had devised a dozen schemes to make her reveal her nightwear to him. And more than one sleepless night had been dedicated to fantasising about it. Would it even be more revealing than her genie uniform? More modest? Diaphanous? Silk? Lace? Gossamer? Satin? Simple cotton? Girly pink? Blood red? Passionate black? Pure white? A long nightie or baby doll short or ladies pyjamas? Form fitting and hugging her in all the right places or loosely cut? With long or short sleeves or no sleeves at all? But no matter what idea he had come up with, and for which he felt deeply ashamed but couldn't help it, Jeannie never gave away her secret. And it looked as if she wouldn't this time either.

„So, how about Chicago?" He tried to distract himself.

She turned onto her side and began to tell him all about her week. How many people she had met and all about the minor disasters they had weathered with only a little bit of magic and the big triumphs they had shared. And Tony let her voice wash over him. The details weren't important. Her tone of voice told him all he needed to know. It had been a happy and exciting time for her and he felt genuinely glad for her. He inched closer to her.

„... and when they were another smashing success, I gave Mr. Spector a ring and he agreed to contract them and sent one of his employees to take over from me as tour manager when I told him I wanted to return to Cocoa Beach. And don't you worry. I fiddled a tiny bit with their memories. The boys are now convinced that they've been playing together for years but never seriously. They remember how they got discovered by us and had their first public appearance at the bazaar. And then I came straight to you."

„You've done well, Jeannie. I'm very pleased with you." He complimented her and she wriggled closer to him until their noses almost touched. Stretching the extra inch she pecked him good night and inched back.

And Tony pulled up his self-discipline and relaxation techniques he had learnt at NASA and propped himself up to blow out the small lantern.

„Good night, Jeannie."

„Good night, master."

 _tbc_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE: A PRETTY LITTLE GOLDFISH**

Shortly after sunrise George walked up to Tony's tent. Today was the day Tony would finally catch his first fish with his help. No one could be as untalented and unfortunate as the astronaut. He would teach the man or die trying!

Hello, why was the tent still closed? Usually the chronic insomniac was up and about when he picked him up. He had already opened his mouth to holler for his friend to come out, when he found the note. _Do not disturb – Tony_ he read. He closed his mouth, only to open it again and shut it once more. Finally he shrugged and walked away whistling. Fine, if not today, then tomorrow!

Tony woke up when he heard the slight commotion outside of his tent and realised it was probably George. He prayed the man would find the note before he disturbed Jeannie, who slept peacefully with her back turned to him. Tony let out a deep breath when heard George leaving again. And deciding to act out one of his fantasies he scooted closer to Jeannie and pressed himself carefully against her back and laid an arm around her. When her breath stayed deep and even, he smiled and closed his eyes again. He was exhausted and needed a few extra hours of sleep he had lost during the week when he had been too overwrought to fall asleep easily. And in a little while they would wake up together for the first time. He was already looking forward to it.

The sun was fairly up high in the sky when Jeannie awoke from a restful sleep. The last week had left its mark on her, too. Even in her bottle she hadn't been able to truly relax at night. As exciting it all had been she felt most comfortable and safe when she knew her master was nearby and they were at home in Cocoa Beach. Sensing an unfamiliar weight on her midriff she looked down to find an arm. And that arm led to a body snuggled up behind her. And said body belonged to her master. She had slept in his arms for the first time and had missed it, because she had been asleep! She felt like weeping from disappointment. But wait, he was still asleep. So maybe, if she didn't move, he wouldn't move and she could savour the feeling for a bit? Or would he be angry when he woke up and found them like this? Well, it was hardly her fault, she reasoned. She had been sleeping. He couldn't be angry with her and when he eventually woke up she still could fake being deeply asleep to spare him the embarrassment.

However, nature had other plans for her she couldn't ignore. She needed to get up, now. She dissolved into smoke and Tony's arm fell onto the empty sleeping bag, which startled him into dim wakefulness.

"Jeannie?" he rasped.

"Good morning, master. I just need to get up. Please try to sleep some more." She whispered soothingly.

"'kay." He turned on his other side and was instantly asleep again, while Jeannie felt an overwhelming wave of love and tender affection for him crash over her. Her poor master. How exhausted he must be! Hadn't he got any rest at all? Already last night she had seen the circles under his eyes. Oh, how she would love to nestle against his back, but... sighing she blinked a couple of times. The first one enlarged marginally their tent, the second one created a small gate closed with a panel, creating a portal to their bathroom at home and the second blink created another gate with a portal to the toilet. When she closed the door, that is the panel, behind her upon her return, she found him still breathing evenly. It was time to get to work, if she wanted to prepare a breakfast fit for a king.

After inspecting the sorry state of her master's provisions, Jeannie blinked his car keys and wallet into her hand and drove off to the next store she could find. Of course she could just have blinked what she needed, but she still got a kick out of driving his car. She followed the rural road for two or three miles and then she entered Little Bear Town, pop. 1189, and when she spotted several scruffy looking men lounging with a cup of coffee in the morning sun in front of a shed called „Little Bear Lake General Store" she knew she had reached her destination. Carefully she parked her car in front of the little store and entered confidently under the stares of the men outside.

Hank looked up from the local newspaper he was reading, when the bell above the door rang and the steady murmur of returning fishermen, telling each other big stories over a smoke and coffee died down and the small bell over the door rang for the second time to announce the return of the sun worshipers.

Jeannie's confidence waned. What was wrong? Surreptitiously she glanced down. No, she wasn't in genie outfit but her new multi-coloured dress, small white handbag, the right shoes. Her master thought she looked just like a regular American woman when he had seen her outfit for the first time... were women not permitted in here for some reason? The owner Bill Whitehouse came up from behind his desk.

„Can I help you, miss?"

„I'd like to buy some provisions. But I'm not sure, if I'm in the right place..." Her voice died down.

„Oh, you're absolutely in the right place." A lecherous voice could be heard in the background. Jeannie winced and clutched her handbag tightly to her body.

„Never mind Joe, miss. It's just we usually don't see such a pretty lady around here. Are you residing up at the Lodge? Tell me what you need and I see, if I have it in stock."

No. I'm with my master... We're on a camping trip." Regaining her confidence by Bill's friendly welcome she opened her handbag and blinked a shopping list into it to take it out. „I'd like to have..." She followed the owner over to the other side of the shop. Slowly the murmur picked up again. Who was the girl? Transfixed the men stared as Bill got out eggs, milk, salad, flour... and so on, and so on. Who was she trying to feed? An army? That much food stuff would never keep in the summer heat. Mentally he shook his head. Big city folks... their equipment was always state-of-the-art, but of course they never knew how to handle it properly and well, usually they learnt quickly enough that they left the amenities of modern life behind when they came to Little Bear Lake. Eventually four large bags were filled and paid for with money out of a man's wallet.

„Thank you, miss. May I help you with the bags?" Bill offered and triggered an avalanche of eager assistance. Some hastened to pick up her bags and another one held the entrance door open to let her pass while ripping off his cap. One took her car keys out of her hand and opened the door of her master's convertible to let her get in. Several others offered to drive her home. And the bags were carefully stored on the back seat. By then Jeannie had completely regained her inner balance and with a lot of thanks, smiles and goodbyes she drove off leaving a gaggle of infatuated men behind waving after her.

"What do you think, Hank?" Bill asked his long-time customer.

"Well, this pretty little goldfish is sure going to stir up the perches in the pond, if you ask me."

"Yup, things are going to get interesting around here." Bill agreed. "Another refill? On the house."

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John stopped dead in his tracks! What was that enticing smell? Was that coffee from freshly grounded beans he smelled and freshly baked bread, fried eggs, bacon and were that pancakes?! Bewildered he got closer and woah, did he manage to take the wrong turn somewhere on his way over to Tony's? Wide-eyed he stared at the most spectacular female back side clad in sky blue hot pants he had ever seen in his life. Silently he begged this vision to turn around, because if the front was equally gorgeous, then he would have to seriously rethink his decision to swear off women. Oh merciful Lord, yes! She did and he felt light-headed taking in the ample cleavage of her bikini top and the peach coloured taught stomach the long-legged blonde exposed unashamed. And did she just flash a shadow of a belly button? He had to introduce himself to this most beguiling siren! But no, no, no, no! Beautiful on the outside, rotten on the inside and a man's sure downfall, if he wasn't careful! He would just turn around and leave this place. NOW! But his feet were carrying him already out of the bushes.

Jeannie was startled when she heard the steps coming up behind her and spilled the cup of coffee she had been about to bring to her master to wake him up, because if he didn't get up now, he would develop a migraine for the rest of the day.

„I'm sorry. My name's John. I've got the campsite right next to this one. I didn't know Tony wanted to leave early this morning. When did you arrive? Can I help you unpack? Is there anything I can do for you? Show you how to fish or your way around here?"

„How do you do? I'm... "

„Darling?" John heard Tony's voice from inside the tent.

„Oh, please excuse me for a moment." Intrigued John watched the blonde pouring another cup of coffee from the coffee pot and vanishing inside the tent. A minute later she returned without the cup but with a smile.

„My master's out in a moment or two. I'm Jeannie. Would you like to have a late breakfast with us?" she offered.

„Jeannie? You're Jeannie?! Well, I've got to hand it to you, you've really got some nerve, lady, to show your face around here after all you've done to Tony! And now you're trying to make nice with him by bringing him coffee. But that won't work, I tell you. You shattered a great man. Shattered! You might as well leave right now, because he WON'T forgive you. Anthony Nelson is not a spineless wimp, I'll have you know!" He crossed his arms in front of him and looked smug.

„I'm afraid I don't understand. Here, have a pancake or would you rather a rasher of bacon and an egg or two? It's all about to be ready." She gestured at the pans on the barbecue grill rack over a merrily crackling fire. John blinked. Yesterday evening they had steaks on it. It had been dirty and greasy. Now it looked as if it was brand-new! Looking even more carefully around he noticed the chequered table cloth and the laid out plates and silverware on the wooden table that had been soaking up spilt beer and grease last night, and the general cleanliness of the site compared to last night when he had left with the guys around midnight. A bit dazed he accepted Jeannie's generous helping of eggs and bacon on fresh bread.

John was about to bring his fork to his mouth when he slack-jawed watched his friend Tony emerge from the tent with the cup in his hand. The man was clean shaven and looked as if he just taken a hot shower and his clothes were also clean and looked as if they had been ironed only minutes ago– shortly he was barely recognisable to John. That was high treason! Hadn't they made a silent pact? No girls allowed? Be manly men, hairy and smelling like skunks? Eyes on the fishing rod?

Tony tried to appear relaxed when he stepped up towards them. During his much appreciated hot shower he had contemplated his move. He would not hide their relationship nor would he flaunt it. He would play it as naturally as possible. They were together and the rest was no one else's business. Yet, years of being extra careful when in public with Jeannie couldn't be shaken off that easily.

"Darling, this smells fantastic. I think this time you've really outdone yourself. What'll we have?" He gave her a one-armed embrace from behind, a quick kiss on her cheek and sat down next to John.

"Morning, John. What brings you by so early in the day? Had any luck today?" He casually started the conversation, while he accepted graciously Jeannie's serving of eggs, bacon and bread and motioned for a refill of his cup and made her sit down next to him on the wooden bench and have breakfast, too. They started eating. At first Jeannie was a bit self-conscious, but if her master acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary and as if this was just a normal Sunday morning breakfast at home with Captain Healey, then she would act like it, too.

Listening with half an ear to the men's conversation in case one wanted a second helping she unfolded the local newspaper she had also picked up on her shopping trip and began to separate the pages – front page, feature pages and the funnies for her, sports and politics for him. In a bit they would swap politics for front page and funnies. While Jeannie didn't particular care about contemporary events, she had learnt that it made blending in easier, plus it helped her to better understand the world as it was now.

"Master," she interrupted them. "look, Mr. Davis jr. is in Atlanta doing a couple of shows. Let's go down and pay him a visit. He is such a nice man."

"His shows are probably already sold out. We can't just pop in and expect him to have two seats for us on the spur of a moment." Tony replied – as usually the voice of reason.

" Oh, please. Say yes." She tugged at his sleeve, bouncing up and down on the wooden bench.

"Okay, I'll try to give Jim a ring from up the Lodge. Perhaps he can arrange a little something for us. Do they say in which hotel Sammy and the gang reside?"

"Thank you! You're the most wonderful master in the world! It's the Atlanta Premier." She exclaimed and showered his face with kisses.

"Master?" John couldn't keep quiet, realising his hero had feet of clay. The great astronaut Major Anthony Nelson was a wimp and a show-off, who even pretended to know Sammy Davis jr. just to please the same girl that had ripped his very heart out without remorse or regret. And for what? _A spectacular ass and a set of magnificent tits?_ He sneered in his mind. Well, he wouldn't let himself be wrapped around her little finger so easily. No, sir. Not he! He had stumbled once, but from now on he wouldn't be caught unaware where this Jeannie girl was concerned.

"It's her pet name for me. I call her darling, she calls me master." Tony explained. "It works just fine for us, doesn't it, darling?" He bestowed a gentle Eskimo kiss on her. She looked adoringly at him. John felt nauseous.

Into this cosy scene of paradise, snake included, George broke, carrying a bucket full of lake water and living fish. As usual it had been a successful morning for him.

"Hello?! What happened to this place?" He exclaimed surprised upon seeing the hammock and the sunbed and the colourful flower pots.

"Jeannie happened. Got here last night and immediately started transforming the place into some domestic dream. The only thing that's missing is Rover, the dog and the white picket fence." John answered morosely, but was ignored by and large.

"Sheesh, it looks great. Miss Jeannie, if you're finished here, why don't you come over and start on my site? Oh, look guys, what I've got here. Fish that just waits to be grilled tonight... well, I suppose we've got a problem now with Jeannie also being here. Perhaps we can stretch it a bit? I know some great fish recipes."

"So do I." Jeannie piped in and motioned him to sit down at the table and got him a cup of coffee.

"You do? So you like fish, too? I only ask, because so many dislike fish and I just don't know why. It's such healthy food. Have you heard about omega-3 fatty acids and their beneficial influence on brain activity and the cardio-vascular system? The Mayo clinic published a fascinating study on it last year. Anyway, it's too late now to start trying again. The best time for fishing for trout is over for the day, as you might know. Are you interesting in fishing by the way, Jeannie? I'm sure you are, because you came out here after all. Now, I've got to admit that I'm a bit stumped over Tony here, but perhaps you've got the greater talent for fishing? How about we give it a try tomorrow morning? I'm going to pick up the both of you, let's say sevenish? But not later. If you're not up, then I go without you. See you later. By the way: great coffee, Jeannie."

He got up again and nodded his thanks to the beautiful woman. No wonder Tony had been so cut up over her, poor chap. But now things seemed to be as they should have been right from the start.

"Ahm, George... don't you worry about tonight's dinner. Jeannie and I'm going to go over the Lodge for some dinner and dancing."

"We do?" Jeannie asked excited, squeezing his hand in a death grip to contain her happiness. The entire morning her master had mildly flirted with her and been showering her with his understated affection. The last time that happened was when he was still shook up over her fake fiancé Tony Millonaire and didn't let her out of his sight. For weeks on end she had travelled with him in his breast pocket wherever he went and watched him glaring at every man who had looked at her for more than a second or two. Those were very happy weeks for them she recalled.

"Oh... but what about the fish?"

"Just have it with John and Hank and count us out."

"You sure?" George was doubtful. What could be better than grilled fish and a reasonably chilled beer?

"Positive."

"You heard the man, George. He's got better things to do tonight." John tried very hard, but couldn't keep the sneer entirely out of his voice. Jeannie looked at him questioning. From the moment the man had learnt her name he had been slightly nasty to her. What had she done to him when she didn't even know him? Tony frowned. What the hell was John's problem? He was very much aware of the fact that the young man looked up to him and saw him as some sort of kindred spirit since the moment he had learnt that he, Tony, had suffered the same fate as John. He, too, had been practically stood up at the altar when his fiancée Melissa decided to marry another man. It brought comfort to John to know that even celebrities, and he counted the nation-wide known astronaut among those, suffered from ill fate. But where Tony had moved on so to speak and found another girl, John still struggled with his traumatic experience. But that was no reason to be hostile to Jeannie who had been nothing but kind to the confused young man. Well, they still had two weeks to go. Either John accepted Jeannie's fixed presence and that Tony would spend considerably less time with them or they would cut him loose. It wasn't as if he'd be totally left to his own devices. The others would take care of John, if not, he would make sure they did. Besides as far as Tony was concerned he was on holidays with his girl-friend for the first time ever. This was supposed to be _their_ time and it was her he owed his full loyalty to.

 _tbc_


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR: FISHING MADE EASY?**

The astronaut extended his hand and helped his genie out of the car before he interlaced their fingers and walked with her towards the entrance of the Lodge. When he held open the door for her, he couldn't help admiring her looks. Her hair was made up artistically, her dress a vision of pale blue and cream-coloured lace and satin, her hand in his felt soft and delicate and she smelled like the ancient mysteries of the orient.

Jeannie's heart was beating so hard and loud that she was surprised her master couldn't hear and feel it when he held her hand. He had taken her out for dinner and dancing many, many times, usually when he felt she deserved a treat like when a full month had passed and she hadn't got him into any kind of trouble. And he always helped her into and out of the car and offered her his arm. Her master was an old-fashioned gentleman that way and she loved it, whenever that certain attentiveness was directed at her, but there was something about tonight... he had never held her hand in a romantic way before. And she felt as if she were on a real date tonight. And as much as she steeled herself she was helpless against the rising tide of hope. The entire day felt like a dream to her starting with her waking up in his arms, making new friends over breakfast and then he had helped her cleaning up afterwards with a simple declaration that she was also on holidays and they would share the chores, even if it meant doing things the hard and time-consuming way. Doing the dishes in a bucket had never been such fun before. And then they had engaged their wits in a fierce game of chess. She had finally beaten him hours later, which he had acknowledged with his usual bewildered aplomb. Really, he should know better by now; after all her people had played Chatrang, an early version of the modern chess, long, long before Europeans had discovered it for themselves and declared it a game for kings.

"Would you like to wait here or come with me when I try to reach Jim?" he asked her in the lobby. Jeannie giggled softly. As if she would let him out of her sight for even one moment! Her master looked far too handsome for his own good. If she wasn't watchful, he would be surrounded by the most beautiful women faster than she could blink.

"I'll come with you," she replied and reached timidly for his hand and was rewarded for her act of faith when she felt his hand clasped hers in a firm grip and he lead her over to the reception desk to make a phone call to Atlanta. Unfortunately the phone booth was quite small so Jeannie had to wait outside after all, so she picked up a magazine from a table nearby and browsed it. Oh, look: Rita Mitchell had found her seventh husband. She tensed up, when a male voice whispered into her ear from behind.

"My name is Bond. Jeffrey Bond, Commander. And you are, miss?"

Looking for her master for help she saw that he had turned his back on her. She turned around.

"I'm Gordon. Jeannie Gordon, former WAF." She quoted coolly back, hoping to discourage the man who looked nothing like Sean Connery.

"Former WAF... have you been naughty, Jeannie Gordon? How delicious. Why don't you tell me all about your misdeeds over drinks and dinner?"

"I think not." Relieved Jeannie sagged when she heard her master's voice. Immediately she tried to move closer to him, but found her arm was gripped tightly by the other man.

"She with you, Mr...?"

" _Major_ Anthony Nelson, Air Force."

"I see. _Commander_ Jeffrey Bond. So have a nice evening, _major,_ I'm sure you'll find some other company."

"I believe it's for the lady to decide with whom she likes to spend the evening, _sir_."

"Sure. And as long as she makes up her mind, we'll have Vodka Martini shaken, not stirred at the bar." He all but dragged Jeannie away, while her master looked as if he would like nothing more than to further argue the point, but was prohibited by rank and custom. The last thing Jeannie saw was a beautiful woman slinking up to her master. She frowned and tried to keep up with the commander. If her master didn't come to her aid, she would make sure the commander learnt that he was not god's gift to women and then she would take care of the female interloper.

Tony stiffened, when he felt a hand running up his arm and breathed in a cloud of expensive perfume.

"Looks, as if this battle has been won by the navy, major." He turned his head and looked into the brown eyes of a most attractive woman closer to 45 than forty he guessed, but extremely well groomed to underplay her age. Her voice held a sensual timbre when she laughed softly.

"I'm Mrs. Alexander Wilcox III, please call me Rosalind."

"Major Tony Nelson." He relaxed a bit. She was married.

"The astronaut? What a pleasure. And here I was already looking forward to an extremely dull evening and suddenly you fall out of the sky." _… and right into my life/arms._ Tony completed the sentence in his mind. It wasn't as if he hadn't ever heard that line before.

"Now, since we're both stood up for the evening, why don't we make the best out of it and have dinner together, Tony?" She stepped closer and traced a well-manicured finger along his jaw. "In case you're worried about my husband, don't be. Every year we come out here for a couple of weeks. Alexander is after the small fishes and I'm after the big ones. And we both have our fun."

Gently Tony extracted himself from her clutches by taking a half step back. Gallantly he pressed a barely felt kiss on the back of her hand.

"Mrs. Wilcox, were the circumstances any different, I'd love to have dinner with you. But I'm afraid I've already swallowed another one's bait. Now, if you please excuse me, I have to win a war."

Incensed Mrs. Alexander Wilcox III balled her hands into fists and watched the handsome astronaut making a bee-line for the bar.

"Accept it, dear. Your days of easy fishing are coming to an end."

"Oh shut up, Alexander." She hissed. He chuckled.

"Don't be a poor loser. Shall we have dinner?" The elderly gentleman folded up his newspaper and stood up from the lobby's couch to offer his arm to her. Gracefully she accepted. After all there were still so many other fish for them to catch this season and they both knew it.

Tony rushed through the door and heard a loud crash. Immediately he looked for Jeannie and found her standing over her "kidnapper" who clutched his right ankle with both hands, his face a grimace of pain. His pristine dinner suit was decorated with the remnants of this evening's choices of desert that had been previously placed on the now upturned desert trolley.

An old man tried to reach for his cane lying on the floor and apologised profusely. He really should have put away his cane in a better way instead of simply leaning it against his chair where anyone could stumble over it. Another man with the airs of a doctor knelt down beside the commander. He prodded carefully and voiced his diagnosis.

"Well, Jeff. This one's sprained rather badly. Mr. Abernathy, may we prevail on your cane for a moment or two? It's best, if you lie down in your room and put some ice on your ankle before it swells, Jeff. If it's not okay by the day after tomorrow, call for me again."

"Of course. Commander Bond, I'm so awfully sorry." Helpfully old Mr. Abernathy held out his cane to the man on the floor. Putting up a good face on things the navy man accepted Tony's eager help getting him up. He yelped when he felt Tony's full weight on his good foot.

"Oh, I'm such a klutz, commander. My apologies."

The injured stiffened warily, when Tony came still closer under the disguise of being a clumsy helper and heard his quiet murmur.

"Don't you worry about Jeannie. I'll keep her company. Oh, by the way: she prefers champagne to Vodka Martini... And this is for gripping her arm tightly." He finished with an unforgiving voice.

Tony was all the good Samaritan, when he drove the cane into he injured foot. The unfortunate commander yelped louder.

"Doctor, I think it's best, if you take over for me. I don't seem to be particularly helpful tonight." Chagrined Tony addressed the small crowd around them.

He stepped back and embraced Jeannie with one arm, indicating rights of possession to every man in this room while trying to soothe the sore spot on her upper arm where she had been gripped. Jeannie leaned right into him, her face full of compassion for the injured.

"Oh, the poor man. He must be in such pain. I never wanted..."

"Be quiet, darling." Tony hissed through his teeth. "You're not insured. And they court-martial me for striking a fellow officer."

She giggled. He grinned. Both quickly schooled their expressions into compassion.

When the Wilcoxes appeared in the door, Alexander let his wife precede and paused to let the heavily limping commander and the doctor pass. When Jeannie saw her she turned a bit in her master's embrace and placed a proprietary hand on his chest. Her master was hers, not _hers_! With a tilt of her head she challenged her competition and felt satisfied when the other woman looked away.

Tony led her away after the show was over and the crowd dispersed, everyone murmuring about it and exchanging opinions on what exactly just happened and casting speculating glances at the "klutz" and the beauty on his arm. After all everyone knew everyone and each other's reputation at Little Bear Lake.

"Do you still want to have dinner?"

"Of course I do. What did Mr. Davis jr.'s manager say?"

"He'll see what he can do for us. If he has tickets to spare, he'll give us a ring here at the Lodge."

"That's wonderful, master. Thank you."

They let themselves be seated at their table and looked forward to the quiet rest of the evening. The food was good, the background music not to loud and the company simply wonderful. Amused Tony watched her animated gestures when she told him how she and Mozart became friends when he chased her around the dining table in 1780 and they decided spontaneously that they would blink to Vienna to attend the premiere of _The Magic Flute_ within the next couple of days and perhaps visit some of their other special friends. And later, when he held her closely in his arms on the small dance floor and looked down into her sparkling eyes, he knew he was falling in love with her all over again.

And still later, when they had laid down in their sleeping bags and scooted closer to each other Tony couldn't help but say what was in his heart.

"Thank you, Jeannie. For a wonderful day."

"Oh, master. It was wonderful for me, too." She melted and pulled a hand out of her sleeping bag to find his, conveniently placed in the narrow space between them.

"Are you wearing a t-shirt?" He mentally kicked himself. He really was a klutz tonight, going like a bull at a gate.

"Yes...? Well, you seem most comfortable in your t-shirt and sleep shorts. So I thought I adapt to your style for this camping trip. Is it not right?" She withdrew her hand and buried herself deeper into the sleeping-bag.

He chuckled half sad, half amused. Only Jeannie...!

"It's perfect for this trip, Jeannie."

He bent over and gave her a soft, but lingering kiss goodnight and Jeannie blinked out the light.

 _tbc_


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE: HE LOVES ME, SHE LOVES ME NOT...?**

Within the next couple of days they developed quite the little routine. Around half past six in the morning they got up and by seven Tony kissed Jeannie goodbye and headed out with George. A couple of hours later the men returned and John and Hank joined them for a healthy breakfast and then the group broke up for the day. Sometimes they would meet again at Tony's for dinner, if they had caught enough fish and the couple hadn't made any other plans for the evening.

And of course it was a bit baffling how Tony and Jeannie seemed to simply vanish for hours, despite the car being parked at the roadside and Hank still puzzled how she managed to keep the food fresh and discussed this at length with Bill when he dropped by and found the shop almost deserted. In fact Bill hadn't seen much of any of his usual customers these last few days. And that was because the pretty little goldfish caused troubles, just as they had predicted.

George had been the first to bring a fellow fisherman to the Nelsons for a cup of coffee. And generously Jeannie had offered him breakfast, too. And like a pyramid scheme her breakfast had become very popular among the fishermen in their vicinity and every day more of them came by for a friendly word of encouragement when their buckets were empty or an honest praise from the beautiful blonde when they had been lucky, shortly the breakfast was the best at Jeannie's "Baghdad Café" and became _the_ new meeting point in the mornings.

Of course Bill had driven out to the lake and had words with her over his slow business but with Tony's mediation they came to a mutual beneficial agreement. Bill provided the basic food and Jeannie asked for two dollars per breakfast and shared the profits with Bill. And everyone around the Eastern part of the lake was happy.

And when Jeannie sometimes said the oddest things Tony explained it away by her being born and raised in the Middle East and that she was still getting acclimated to life in America or came up with one of his spur of the moment explanations. The men accepted it and filed her under as either one of those "military brats" or her father was in the oil business or a diplomat. Manners demanded that they didn't ask any further and the couple never divulged any other background information on her, so the consensus quickly became that she was a diplomat's daughter and it all was a bit hush-hush, which in turn won her even more hearts, because who would have thought a diplomat's daughter wasn't above serving breakfast to regular guys?

But apart from these little inconsistencies and the turmoil they got along just swimmingly. George adored Jeannie ever since they had bonded over cooking and Hank looked at Jeannie and Tony and was reminded of the early days with Edna when all she had wanted was to be a good wife for him and he started to miss her quite fiercely. Perhaps he should make a better effort at listening to her and trying to understand what was going on with her and see, if they could compromise. Of course it challenged his morale code when he looked at their tent and knew that the couple sharing it wasn't even engaged, but after much thinking he had come to the conclusion one ought to make allowances for astronauts like one did for _artistes_. Besides, Tony Nelson didn't strike him as a Lothario who strung a good girl along and took liberties with her without having proper intentions for the future.

The only one who still had trouble accepting Jeannie was John. He had taken up observing the girl when Tony wasn't around in the morning and had seen her folding her arms and blinking and then strange things happened. Things that defied any explanation but one. Jeannie was a witch like the ones that got burnt in Salem and used her powers to keep the great Anthony Nelson under her spell. And it would also explain why he kept having _those_ dreams about her. She sent them to him to lure him in. He had tried to talk about this with the other men, but both Hank and George had rocked with laughter and hadn't wanted to listen any further. Their blonde angel a black-hearted witch who did magic – ridiculous! So John had more or less given up on fishing and had made it his mission to collect evidence against the girl before he would call his grandmother's neighbour. The old lady was a direct descendant of one of the Salem witch hunters and would surely know how to exorcise the demon in the girl.

And Tony and Jeannie? Outwardly they projected the very image of the ideal, blissfully happy couple. Both would readily admit that the afternoons were one of their favourite times when the last customer left the "Baghdad Café" and the camp site was cleaned up and it got finally quiet and they were left alone for a while. They cuddled in their hammock for two and read together a John le Carré spy novel and sometimes they would put the book away and just cuddle. Or Tony stretched out on the sunbed and Jeannie rubbed gently sun lotion into the skin of his back.

And Tony dreamt in these moments of rolling over and his hands would find the upper edge of the sunbed above his head and he would unashamed display his body to its full advantage in an unspoken invitation. And he would observe Jeannie's eyes roaming hungrily over his body until they arrested at his tented shorts. And she would smile delightedly and ask throatily, if this _big_ surprise was all for her. And of course he would pull her closer and still closer to him until she straddled him and he would suggest that she unwrapped her surprise and then he would reach up and with a suave flick of his right wrist he would deftly unclasp her bikini top and... in the end Tony never did what he imagined.

Because inwardly both Tony and Jeannie were a mess. Almost undetected a dissonance had crept into their relationship and left them both helpless how to fix the situation, each caught up in their inability to communicate what was wrong between them.

Blindly Tony stared at the bopper and willed it to move and thus indicate that a fish had swallowed his bait - finally. And that brought back frustrated thoughts of Jeannie who also kept refusing to swallow his baits. Just this morning they had awoken in time and he had turned on his side to greet her with his by now customary good-morning kiss. And to his utter thrill the little kiss turned into two, then more and still more and deeper ones until they were properly necking. In fact, he had just begun to pull down her sleeping bag's zipper by several inches to gain access to her luscious and sleep-warm body when George called out for him from outside. They had broken apart and quick as lightning Jeannie had stood fully clothed in her yellow-orange-blue dress and told him hastily she'd get out and make him his coffee while she had been already opening their tent. And he had been left kneeling and reeling from her flight, feeling frustrated and angry. The frustration had stayed with him when he had washed down the remnants of his angry arousal in the shower's drain. Why hadn't he called out to George that he wasn't going with him this morning? Why hadn't he slowly run his hands up the back of her naked legs until they would have disappeared beneath her short skirt and pulled her down into his lap?

Because, he gave himself the answer, of the same reason he never turned around on the sunbed: he wasn't sure of Jeannie's feelings for him anymore.

He had expected that being away from Cocoa Beach would bring back the days of old when she had only needed the slightest encouragement from him to bestow all her love and affection on him. But these days their relationship seemed to be rather like a comfortable old shoe, companionable instead of passionate. And Jeannie was happy to follow passively his lead and content to enjoy the romantic couples' things they did. If he initiated a kiss, she would respond, but that was all she did. She never started anything on her own. And as wonderful as it was to be with her, he was getting tired of only holding hands with his girl and sharing sweet, innocent kisses with Jeannie under the proverbial blossoming apple tree! If he had wanted that, they could have stayed in Cocoa Beach! Dammit!

 _Doesn't she want me anymore? Have I turned her away one time too many? She used to be crazy about me and every day an exercise in self-control and every night a struggle with raging hormones and ... and now? When did we loose the fire?_

It wasn't so very long ago, when he had asked her, no, practically ordered her to marry him and she had complied eagerly, expressing her anxious hope to be a good wife and had even shackled poor Roger to a wall in order to prevent him from telling Tony the truth. Yet, when Hadji had made her reveal the prospect of their children having magical powers and he had called off the wedding, she had unpacked their suitcases on her own initiative, whereas he had expected a fight on his hands. What had changed?

 _Was it something I said? Or Hadji? Was it something I did or didn't do? Is it truly over and I only realise it now that I'm no longer distracted by work? It can't be!_ _What more can I do to rekindle the passion in her?_ J _ust one sign, Jeannie, just give me one sign that you still want me, too. Please..._

Jeannie on the other hand was more confused than ever.

 _What does he want from me? For years he preached we were pals and our relationship that of genie and master and all of a sudden he turns by 180 degrees and becomes affectionate?_

There was no doubt that she loved his kisses. And it was heaven when when they laid down in their sleeping bags and her master would reach over to turn down the light and in the darkness they would keep whispering long, long into the night until one of them couldn't stifle their yawns any more and after several good night kisses she would turn her back to her master and would allow him to spoon behind her. It was heaven and wonderful and it made her feel deliciously warm inside and close to him. But it also made her nervous, restless and long for more. But what that _more_ might be was vague where she was concerned and frightening when she thought about him.

She cast her memory back to some of her old masters and compared them to her current master's behaviour. Did he want _that_ from her? Involuntarily she shuddered. She had always hated doing _that_ to them when they demanded _it_ from her and _it_ always made her feel dirty and ashamed and every time she had cried afterwards in her bottle. And every time she had resolved to never do _that_ again and every time she had obeyed her masters in the end when all the riches in the world only distracted them temporarily, because that was what she was there for: to obey and to please.

She would have been perfectly happy to remain a mortal girl in Babylon and marry one day a mortal like Aladdin, the cute boy from next door. In fact when his mother had caught them kissing under a peach-tree in their garden, their fathers had started negotiations on the bride price. Alas, where Jeannie's father had demanded 250 camels because Jeannie was a half-genie, though without magic powers, and she got his blonde hair, Aladdin's father had only wanted to give 30 sheep exactly for the same reasons. They didn't want any unnaturalness in the family. A genie-mother and the gods knew where the father had come from to have such strange hair colour! Her mother had been so affronted that she relocated the entire family to Baghdad where people were far more open-minded towards mixed marriages and magic powers.

But then in Baghdad she had crossed the path of the Blue Djinn and her mother had encouraged her to marry him. Yet she had refused because she still had feelings for Aladdin and the Blue Djinn had frightened her and as punishment the mighty djinn had turned her into a genie. Oh, her mother had been so pleased with it and had seen it as a way to compensate for the fact that her firstborn daughter had turned out after her mortal father. And so her life of suffering had begun for almost two millenniums until one day when she had been freed by Captain Anthony Nelson, who was up to now so very different compared to what she had been used to.

He didn't care about riches, he didn't want her services. In fact there were more times that she could count on the fingers of her hand that he didn't want her around at all. Oh, how much he had confused her at the beginning, until she had realised what he wanted from her: be a house-keeper, a cook and a companion. And she had been so, so grateful, convinced that her days of suffering had really come to an end. And then she fell in love with her stern yet gentle master and she so wanted to make him happy and be his wife to break the eternal cycle of going from master to master and never knowing who she would have to serve and if they would be cruel or gentle.

He had ruined her for any other master and she could never serve another again, would never find happiness again when his death would eventually separate them and Hadji would lock her into her bottle again and cast it out to be found anew. She needed to become his wife. She would do anything to become his wife. Even _that_? She momentarily paused in her breakfast preparations. In a little while her first guests would arrive and expected a chipper hostess. _Yes_ , she nodded to herself.

 _I would do even_ that _for him. I love him. And if he needs_ that _from me now and there's a way to make him happy and have him marry me, then yes, I will, I_ _ **have**_ _to do_ that _for my master. Perhaps this time_ it _won't be so horrible? He's been so good and kind to me. Even now when I foul things up again. Yes, Jeannie. This time you do_ it _for love. And you can do_ it _._

She felt a shiver going down her spine, when it got colder for a moment. She looked up and saw the first cloud in days floating by in front of the sun. And several others, darker ones, chased that first one. The sky was about to get covered.

 _tbc_


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX: TONY NELSON, THIS COULD BE YOUR LIFE – PART ONE

 **author's note** : It's been a while, I know, but real life keeps me awfully busy and my mind exhausted at the moment. But I had a productive public holiday with foul weather to keep me indoors and I managed to finally finish the middle part of this chapter.

* * *

And into this subliminally tense atmosphere Jim's phone call from Atlanta broke. They had two tickets to spare due to a last minute cancellation and Sammy would be delighted to see them for a couple of minutes in his suite after the show. The down part of this good news was that it was this very night and that meant Tony and Jeannie had not much time to spare before they had to leave for Atlanta.

The breakfasting fishermen witnessed first awed and then amused the exchange between the Lodge's concierge and Tony at their camp site and Jeannie's subsequent loud squeal of delight and her showering his face with about a million kisses while praising him to the skies. They advised them to stay the night in Atlanta, because there was a storm brewing. The men cleaned up the "café" and helped secure the tent and the camp site and Jeannie pretended to get their clothes ready and shortly after noon the couple rushed to their car for their audience's sake. It was a long drive down to Atlanta, if you didn't travel by Jeannie Express.

* * *

John watched them drive away with mixed feelings. On one hand he felt he owed his hero an apology. Tony Nelson did know Sammy Davis Jr. after all, who was a great entertainer for many years now. Personally he preferred _The Rolling Stones,_ but his boss had got tickets to Sammy Davis Jr. the previous year and had raved about the man for weeks afterwards and through him John knew how expensive these tickets were. In his mind he calculated the costs for tickets, gas, hotel rooms, meals and shook his head. He just didn't get it. Why would a sensible man squander so much money on one evening? For that amount he could easily... he ran through the figures and came up with a number of records he could buy instead. And the best thing, he could listen to them over and over again.

When he voiced his thoughts to Hank, the other shook his head in amused exasperation.

"Imagine, you had a date with Jeannie. Where would you take her?"

John flushed scarlet.

 _Oh, so that's how it is._ _I knew it._ Hank smiled inwardly. _No wonder the boy is so confused and shook up. He's got a crush on his hero's girl-friend and doesn't know how to handle it._

"Here? I suppose to Rosie's diner over in Little Bear Town. The Cheese 'n' Mac comes at two dollars plus half a bottle of her house wine for another three dollars. We could eat and talk. Perhaps put a dime or two into the jukebox." John tried to rescue the rest of his tattered dignity.

"So your entire date with such a beautiful, classy woman would cost you under ten dollars. Very economic thinking of you. And do you think Jeannie would agree to go on a second date with you?"

"How do you mean?"

"John, women in general and I would imagine especially a woman like Jeannie, who appreciates and is accustomed to the finer things in life, like to be spoilt once in a while without counting dollars. If you'd turn this in to a cheap date, she will feel cheap and under-appreciated, too.

Besides, do you seriously think Jeannie imagined ending up serving breakfast for a gaggle of unshaven, often unwashed men when she came out here or sitting in the evenings around a campfire with four men instead of lying in the arms of only one or serve beer and snacks during a friendly game of Poker? Or Tony for that matter? I'm sure they wanted to get away for a while to be alone together. But instead they're saddled with us and try to make the best out of it. And I think Tony's wise to take Jeannie out every couple of days and treat her to something special to make up for us and to show her how much she means to him and how much he appreciates that she's such a great pal about it. She wanted to go to this show, Tony could make it happen. You saw her. She's over the moon. You call it squandering, I call it a sound investment into the future."

"So you mean, in order to keep a girl I have to get broke?"

"Of course not. I said once in a while and if the situation calls for it."

"If a girl is interested in me, then it shouldn't matter where I take her or what we do. Joleen and I never did anything that cost more than ten dollars. She agreed that it was more important to save up money for a house. Da never had to loan money from the bank in his entire life. Don't spend what you haven't earned yet he used to say. Ma and he saved up money for over twenty years before Da bought the car. Buy the best quality and keep it well-maintained and it'll last you for a life-time."

"Yes. Very sensible. And where is Joleen now?"

"And where is Edna?" gave John back as good as he got.

"My problems with Edna have nothing to do with how we spend our money."

"Of course they have. That's why you're so mad at her. Because since she started to earn her own money she's slipped your control, Hank, and that's what it's all about. If you do as you preach, you wouldn't be here, but in New York with her at the Guggenheim or on Broadway. So don't tell me about cheap dates."

George approached the men a bit warily. He didn't know what the small fight was about, but he could read their body language well enough.

"I hope Tony and Jeannie will have a good time in Atlanta. At the very least they will miss the storm. Although..." he chuckled. "... did you see the look on her face? They're going to create a storm of their very own. Damn me, if Tony won't fall asleep with the biggest smile on his face tonight." He tried a bit of male bonding.

John said rather abruptly his goodbyes.

"What's wrong with him?" George was at a loss.

"He's got a huge crush on Jeannie and you just rubbed it in. Well done, George."

"But he barely speaks to her or looks at her. I always thought he didn't like her much. I mean, he thinks she's a witch! You sure?"

"How can you be so daft, George? It's written all over his face, whenever he sneaks a look at her, when he thinks no one is watching."

"D'you think Tony knows?"

"If he doesn't, then he's the densest astronaut at NASA! But what can he do?"

"Yeah... poor chap."

"Yeah."

Both men sighed before they decided to tent to their own campsites. It was going to be a rough night.

* * *

As soon as they were out of sight, Jeannie blinked and the couple and the car appeared in the garage of the Atlanta Premier. Tony got a ticket and when they came out they were greeted by a clear blue sky. Considering they had a couple of hours to spare they decided to check in first. That is Tony considered checking in, but hesitated. It was one thing to sleep in each other's arms on their camping trip, but sleeping together in a bed would make things more _real_ somehow _._ It would raise Jeannie's expectations of continuing _things_ in Cocoa Beach, when he wasn't sure yet, if he wanted to continue _things_ when they got home, provided they had _things_ that could be continued in the first place. In short Tony wasn't sure of anything and instead he perused the laid out flyers of things to do in Atlanta and he found one to advertise a visit to the Botanical Garden.

Jeannie was open to his suggestion to while away the time until they had to get ready for the show and in an unobserved minute blinked them there.

They had no agenda and followed the paths as they found them. After a while they had ice-cream from a mobile vendor. Jeannie chose vanilla with strawberry sauce, Tony preferred vanilla with chocolate sauce. And of course they made a mess when the cones melted in the sun faster than they could eat them. They giggled when they licked their sticky fingers and palms as often as the rapidly melting ice-cream and when Jeannie saw another milky drip run down the back of his fingers and have her tongue lick it up instead of calling his attention to it, Tony froze for a second, before his searching eyes fell upon the thick trunk of a several hundred years old oak. He pulled her towards and then behind it. Dropping the rest of his cone he trapped her between his arms and leant in. Succumbing to the skyrocketing tension between them Jeannie dropped hers, too, wound her arms around his neck and a second later they were passionately kissing.

"Ahem."

They slowly pulled apart and looked at the slightly smiling guard.

"Please take it elsewhere, folks. There are children running around." He advised them. Both flushed.

"Of course, sir." They stepped apart and Jeannie turned around for a second and blinked.

"Oh, Jeannie." Tony chuckled fondly, when he saw the small heart carved into the tree with even tinier letters reading _Guess who?._

Holding hands they moved on and eventually found their way to the Orchid Display House. Awed and tightly wrapped in each other's arms they stood among floral beauty and tried to take it all in. Eventually Jeannie stepped away from him and began to wander around, stretching up here to caress a petal, crouching down there to blink and return a wilting blossom to its former bloom and to whisper to a closed bud that promptly opened to his full glory for her. But Tony didn't really see all this. His attention was focussed on the beautiful woman with long golden hair in a coral-red, short dress. To him she was the very picture of a delicate elf in her natural environment. And when she eventually turned around and beckoned him to come to her not even a direct order from General Peterson would have kept him from answering her sweet call.

"Oh, master, is it not beautiful?" She whispered looking up to him, when he laced their fingers and let them rest in the small of her back. "How about we add a small conservatory at home and cultivate orchids in their natural habitat like they do here? Convert the patio? If we use large glass doors we can open it when the weather is fine. We could install in a small waterfall and a pond and two deck chairs and a small table and have breakfast there. What do you say?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea, but let's discuss this some more, when we're at home, okay?"

She rose on tiptoe to give him a small, but loving kiss.

"Perhaps you'd like to practice your green thumb some more before you remodel our patio? I know of two rosy petals that are in need of your tender care, here and now."

Again, she rose on tiptoe to tenderly practice her green fingers, paying attention first to the upper petal then to his lower petal by wetting them with her tongue.

"Better?" She smiled. She thought his silliness was adorable.

"Hmh, let me check..." Tony licked his lips. "No, they're still thirsty." He rendered his verdict in a deep voice.

"Then come down here and drink deeply from my lips." She answered huskily and pulled her hands free to let them wander up his arms. Tony groaned, pulled her flush against his body and bent down to...

"Ahem."

"You again?!" Tony couldn't believe it and rubbed comfortingly Jeannie's back, while she hid her face in his shoulder.

"Didn't I tell you to take it elsewhere? And by that I didn't mean here." The guard scowled at them.

Tony looked at his wrist watch.

"You know something? As you keep disrupting us, you may as well tell us where we can have dinner."

"A bit further down Piedmont Avenue there's a good Chinese – Foo Ling's Asian Garden. I recommend Lo mein. Or Sam's Grill House the other way up. Their hamburgers are the best in town."

"Hmh, would you like Chinese, darling?"

She nodded.

"Well then, have a nice evening, sir. Let's go, Jeannie."

The guard nodded and followed them this time out of the house to make sure they didn't sneak back in to neck some more. A bit puzzled he called them back.

"Say, don't I know you from somewhere? You're... of course, you're that astronaut. What's his name again - Tony Nielson? My brother's a big fan of yours and is totally into space travels and aliens and stuff. Have you ever encountered an alien up there?"

"No, I'm not. I mean what's his name."

"Oh, then I apologise, sir. For a moment I really thought you were him."

"Don't mention it. I just have a nondescript face like that."

Jeannie giggled and let herself be guided by her master's hand on the small of her back. When they put a couple of yards between them, she turned back to the guard who looked after them and for a second she let her face morph into alien-likeness with black, huge, almond shaped eyes, wriggling antennas and green skin and and waved merrily at him before she blew him a kiss. The guard rubbed his eyes and looked again. And just saw the beautiful blonde turning her back on him to walk away. Shrugging he decided it had been a trick of light and that his brother's constant babble of aliens and space travels finally got to him. When they were out of sight they burst into laughter. Yes, it was dangerous, but the day was simply too wonderful to give it much thought.

Over dinner they finally discussed their sleeping arrangement and whether to stay in Atlanta or to return to Little Bear Lake. Jeannie readily agreed it was preferable to sleep cuddled against each other in their sleeping-bags instead of sleeping alone in separate hotel-rooms. Once at the Atlanta Premier both entered their respective restrooms and locked themselves into stalls. One timed blink and Tony found himself in his tux, one blink and Jeannie smoothed her dress out. A minute later they met again, Tony complimented her on her looks and she smiled and together they headed for the hotel-bar for a "pre-show" drink.

* * *

"Grover Caldwell!" Tony exclaimed.

The man turned his head for a moment and watched Tony and Jeannie approach him, before he focussed again on his raised tumbler.

"Sorry, folks. No one here to go by that name. The name's Mr. Melissa Stone." And with a decisive nod he swallowed the content of his glass in one go without shuddering. That required considerable practice, Tony knew.

"Grover, I thought you and Melissa wanted to go to Europe with the general. What happened?" He asked again while watching with growing concern his former rival, if you wanted to call him that, signal to the bartender to give him another one.

"Melissa got pregnant, that's what happened."

"Isn't that wonderful news, master?" Jeannie timidly joined the awkward conversation.

"Is it? Melissa's not so sure. Oh, she's happy, but you know, it wasn't suppose to happen before sometime next year according to her grand life schedule. Dump Tony, check. Marry Grover instead, check. Go to Europe with Daddy and Grover, check. Start making the right connections. Check. But then we fouled up her precious schedule and now... things have become difficult." He swallowed his whiskey.

"How is that?" Jeannie couldn't help but ask.

"Hey, I know you from somewhere... Wait, aren't you the girl in that hot harem outfit that came out of the cake at Tony's bachelor party?" A bit inebriated Grover focussed on Jeannie with a slightly dirty grin.

"Ahm, yes?"

Not liking the grin on Grover's face, Tony meddled.

"But we've already known each other beforehand." He tried to restore her honour, though a bit ineptly.

"Oh, well. Water under the bridge. You lose, I won, Tony." He chuckled bitterly, while giving Jeannie a more assessing look.

"Where's Lis?" Tony tried to deflect the man's attention from Jeannie.

"Oh, she's getting ready upstairs. We've got tickets for Aretha Franklin. Originally we wanted tickets for Sammy Davis Jr. but the shows are sold out. So they put us onto the waiting list. And we were supposed to be way up high and were promised to get the tickets the moment there's a cancellation. So we got down here from Washington on a hunch. But at the very last moment some other hotshot stepped right in and bypassed the diplomat's daughter and her senator's right hand husband. By sheer dumb luck I managed to get the tickets for Aretha Franklin. But Melissa's sulking. She had her heart set on Sammy. And nothing else will do. Not really.

You know, I love Melissa. I really do. She's highly intelligent, funny, warm-hearted... And of course she's so beautiful it hurts. But sometimes... she's so set in her ways. There's no pleasing her. No matter what I do... it's never enough. She never just stops and rests for a moment to enjoy life, is never truly content. It always needs to be more, eyes always on the next step... You know she's unable to be grateful for what life's been giving her and living in the now. And that makes it so hard for me. She wasn't always like this. As a young girl she was happy and carefree and our dreams were dreams, not something to get fulfilled by all means. And not by an imagined schedule."

They fell silent. What could be said after such an out-pour that wasn't trivial? But when Grover asked for still another whiskey, Tony nixed the order and had the bartender bring a cup of strong coffee. Grover looked as if he wanted to argue the point, but Tony forestalled any half-drunk belligerence.

"Melissa won't thank you either for taking her drunk to Aretha Franklin's show, Grover. I hope you don't mind my saying."

Jeannie shook her head emphatically.

Grover sighed and started to sip his coffee. He knew the others were right.

And before they elapsed again into embarrassed silence, Melissa entered the restaurant and her confident steps faltered, when she found them at the bar counter. She pressed her lips together in annoyance and helplessness. If Grover was drinking again... it wasn't supposed to be like this. She felt as if she was failing him somehow.

"Tony, what on Earth are you doing here?" she exclaimed perhaps a bit too loudly to mask her painful embarrassment after greeting her husband with a small kiss on his cheek and smelling the whiskey on him. At least he wasn't swaying yet while standing. Besides she had left her ex-fiancé in a rather ..., well, she could have handled it better, she was sure of it. And to have him catch them now under such embarrassing circumstances! It was humiliating for her, but perhaps there was some poetic justice in it, she tried to console herself.

"Jeannie and I are here for a show." There was no need to mention Sammy Davis Jr., when it was obviously a sore point for her. "But enough of us, I hear congratulations are in order, Melissa. We're very happy for you both. And I know you will be a wonderful mom." Tony shifted the attention back to Melissa.

For a moment Melissa's face betrayed the struggle between the happiness of an expecting first-time mother and the worry of an uncertain future.

"Jeannie?" To divert from her own turmoil she refocussed the attention on the blonde at Tony's side. "Oh, yes, I remember. You were the girl that came out of Tony's bedroom, aren't you?... I see, well, perhaps you weren't that unhappy, when I gave you back your ring, Tony. Just out of curiosity... how long have you been together?" She enquired. She needed to know, if only to lay the last twinges of a bad conscience to rest. She needed to know, that Tony was happy and content with his life.

"Oh, for years." Jeannie answered quickly. Where there was an unhappily married man, there was usually an unhappily married wife, too. And if Melissa thought for even one moment to pick up with her master where she had left things, especially now when she was pregnant with another man's child...

Tony chuckled.

"No, Jeannie. Lis didn't mean for how long we've known each other. It's a recent development." He explained. The other couple nodded.

"Atlanta is far away from Cocoa Beach. Are you still with NASA, Tony?" Melissa asked.

He nodded.

"My master was promoted to major last year and General Patterson is very fond of him and I'm very proud of him." Jeannie bragged.

Seeing the looks on Melissa's and Grover's faces (she appalled, he intrigued) Tony sighed. He really needed to talk to Jeannie about this form of address when they were in public.

"Pet name." He explained succinctly.

"I see." Melissa answered, when in fact she didn't see at all. Perhaps this girl wasn't too bright, but every woman had to have a good grasp on her self-esteem. Calling her boy-friend master put additional emphasis on the natural imbalance of power between the sexes.

"Ahm, would you please excuse us for a moment? You know how it is with pregnant women..." Melissa hinted, but refrained from elaboration. While men were happy to have a part in the creation of new life, all else they rather left to women.

A bit confused Jeannie left with Melissa, throwing a glance over her shoulder to Tony and read worry in his glance back. Grover let himself fall back on the bar-stool.

"Another one." He ordered.

"Grover..." Tony admonished him kindly.

"Yeah, right. Make it another coffee for me and a ginger ale for him."

Tony reached out for the bar-stool next to Grover's and sat down gingerly, his gaze firmly fixed on the door. What if Jeannie gave something away? Melissa still had connections to the brass. One wrong word and...Or what if she lost her temper with Melissa and did something to her?

"Don't look so worried. Melissa won't bite her."

"It's not Jeannie I'm worried about."

"Oh. Jeannie's a real tiger then, eh? Scratch your back and scream down the house?" Grover chuckled and indicated his thanks to the bartender, when the beverages were placed in front of the men. Tony gave the half-drunken man a cool glance to warn him off.

"Does she really call you master?"

"Hmh, yes." _What takes you so long?_

"Wow! Does she really mean it or is it just mockery?"

"Of course she really means it. What else would she call me?" Absent-mindedly he took sip of his ginger-ale. Again his gaze went to the closed door, willing it to open and have Jeannie come through, but it only let in more and more people for a quick drink before the show. _Where are you?_

"Does she take off your shoes in the evening and kneel by your chair?"

"Of course, if I'd ask her to." _Please be careful, darling._

Grover leant over to him and asked in a very low voice.

"You know, I've heard drunken rumours of it, but I never... what's it like?"

"What's like what?" _Come on, Jeannie. Get back in here._

"You know...this alternative life-style." His voice turned even more hushed.

"Alternative life-style?" Now Grover had Tony's attention.

"Yes, you know what I mean. Dominance and submissiveness, bondage, pain, the like. Maybe you can give me some advice how to curb Melissa's more dominant inclination?"

"What?" Tony choked on his drink. "Jeannie's not like that. WE're not like that!"

"Of course you aren't. I stand corrected." He winked at Tony and put his finger against his mouth to assure the major he would keep their secret.

"Really, we're not. You've got it all wrong. And I certainly can't help you with Melissa. She's your wife. Talk to her. Go to one of these marriage counsellors,if you feel you need to."

"You're no help."

"And you're still half-drunk."

The men fell silent, sipping on their drinks.

* * *

In the meantime Melissa had pulled Jeannie into a quiet corner of the hotel lobby that filled rapidly with dressed up people heading for the big ball-room that housed Sammy's show.

"Listen, you can't keep calling Tony master."

"Why not?" Jeannie asked innocently. He was her master after all and she was his genie. And she wouldn't want to have it any other way.

"Jeannie, it doesn't do to spoil men like this. Or they will forever have the upper hand in relationships and keep us women in slavery between the kitchen and the nursery."

"But he does." What was wrong about it? She loved to serve and even spoil him, even if he so rarely let her do it. Besides, she had her ways with him to even out the balance of power.

"Yes, but..."

"Mrs. Caldwell, I know you mean well, but you really don't understand our relationship."

"Of course I do. Tony's a man used to issue orders and have his way all the time. You cater to his whims to keep him in an agreeable mood and have him protect you and provide for you. Women have been doing it for thousands of years now out of survival instinct. But times are changing. We can get well-paid jobs and can support ourselves. And we get more and more equal rights. We don't have to submit to them any more. What do you do for a living, Jeannie?"

"Do for a living? You mean, do I have a job?"

"Yes."

"Well, I tried once to work as a demonstrator in a shop in order to become a modern American woman, but it didn't work out. I'm just not made that way. I prefer to stay at home and take care of my master's needs."

"His needs!?" Melissa's high notes Maria Callas' at her best of times.

"Oh, yes. Keep house, cook for him and wash his clothes. Be there for him when he needs me." She giggled affectionately. "He loves my cooking. If he could he would have my Baked Alaska every day." Jeannie said proudly. She would make very sure that Melissa knew how very well cared of Tony Nelson really was. "He is most pleased with me and we're very much in love and couldn't be any happier." _Liar_ , a little voice that sounded suspiciously like her sister's whispered in the back of her mind. _Be quiet, I'll get to it. Tonight. And then he will never have cause to think of another woman again. So leave!_ She hushed her "sister".

"Pleased with you?" Who talked like that? Where did Tony find her? "My dear child..." she started, perhaps a bit condescendingly.

"Child?! I'll have you know that I'm older than you, technically speaking." Incensed Jeannie raised her arms to cross them in front of her. She would... just in time she remembered she couldn't do anything to harm Melissa in this crowd. Her master would never be able to explain. Besides, she was an expecting mother.

"You don't know anything about Anthony, me or the nature of our relationship. You had better take care of your own. Poor Mr. Caldwell sits in there, drinking, because he loves you and thinks you don't appreciate what you've got with him. Good evening, Mrs. Caldwell. Enjoy Ms Franklin's show."

She left an open-mouthed Melissa Caldwell standing in a crowded room and went back to the bar. She needed to be with her master right now.

* * *

It was a pity. Sammy Davis Jr. lit up a firework in his show and had the audience eating out of his hands. Every song was presented to perfection, every little joke and comment so carefully planned that it seemed to be something that only occurred to him just the very minute he told them.

But there was one, who didn't really listen to this stellar performance – Tony Nelson. The more he tried to forget about meeting Grover, the more it stayed with him and spoilt his evening. He simply couldn't forget this words. Could he be accused of the same thing as Melissa? Was he unable to live in the moment and appreciate what he had with Jeannie? Was he being unfair to her, expecting her to feel exactly like he did when he did? Perhaps she needed a bit more time to adjust? She wasn't ashamed to be seen with him, was she? No, of course not. She was incredibly proud of him and not shy to tell the world. Then perhaps it was the company of his three friends that inhibited her? Because this afternoon he had seen a Jeannie he hadn't seen in quite a while. She had been relaxed and happy and playful and had responded beautifully to his flirtations and had even started to flirt back. And when they had kissed she had been the instigator. Perhaps that was the key? Hand the reigns of their romantic relationship over to her and let her set the pace?

He turned his head to look at her sitting beside him. She was enthralled and displayed a small, happy smile. His hand moved to cover hers in her lap and she turned her head towards him. Looking into his eyes in the dim light, her smile got wider for a moment, before she turned her attention back to Sammy. But she kept his hand firmly on hers by stroking her thumb over his knuckles in an unconscious gesture for the rest of the evening.

And Tony was finally able to relax as well and enjoy Sammy Davis Jr.'s show.

 _Tbc_


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SIX: TONY NELSON, THIS COULD BE YOUR LIFE – PART TWO**

a/n: For obvious reasons I feel obliged to yank up the rating to "T" to be on the safe side. Don't like, don't read!

* * *

While Jeannie and Tony listened to Sammy Davis Jr., another one was tossing and turning in his sleeping-bag – John. The howling wind in the trees and the heavy rain kept him awake. That and his active mind. Try as he might, he just couldn't not think about Jeannie. What was she wearing this evening? Did she feast on champagne and caviar? Was she smiling and giggling at her companion? Did she have a wonderful time with Tony Nelson in Atlanta? Did they register as Mr. and Mrs. Nelson? And if they didn't, would he sneak into her room late at night and make sweet love to Jeannie in her cosy and warm hotel room? Or did she sneak into his room like a harlot? How would it feel like to taste her lips and run one's hands over her voluptuous curves? What would it be like to find fulfilment in her?

John turned on his other side, feeling hot and bothered. He did not know. Joleen and he never had... they had waited for their wedding night as it was good and proper. Once, only once she had allowed him to touch her breasts the night she had accepted his proposal and it had been ….indescribably wonderful to feel something so soft and so warm, that he had felt the heat through her clothes.

Now Joleen was in San Francisco and everyone knew what happened over there and other cities in the States. Sodom and Gomorrah his Ma called it. It was maddening to think that she now freely gave away what he had waited months for and only felt for a few seconds. Back then he had felt even more love and respect for Joleen than before. She was a good and decent girl. But now... Rage filled him. He felt cheated out of a good thing. He had been a good boy and followed the rules as he'd been taught to. And someone else reaped the benefits. Just like it was with Jeannie and Tony Nelson.

Life sure wasn't fair.

Was he the only one to play by the rules? It was absolutely maddening to think about what they got up to and they weren't even engaged! It was as if they didn't even care about the holiness of matrimony.

But what _did_ they get up to, really? Not once he had seen them kiss indecently. A peck here and there, that was all. Holding ones hands, sitting close together, sharing the hammock. That was all as far as he knew. But who knew what went on in the tent at night? Did she unbound her hair and drop her clothes and come to Tony for a night of unmatched passion? Did they kiss each other all over? Did she do things to him he had only heard about in college? Did she touch _him_ the way women of ill reputation supposedly did?

Or did they do nothing? Tony Nelson was a man of honour and an officer, John reminded himself. And Jeannie was a diplomat's daughter, surely she had received a most proper education. What if his imagination run wild and she didn't deserve his lustful scorn and Tony didn't deserve his bitter envy? What if they were this proper couple they seem to be?

John turned again on the other side. But what if they weren't? What if Jeannie only pretended to be the good girl and at night she worked her evil witch magic on the hapless astronaut? Wasn't it his duty to watch over them? If there was anything untoward going on, shouldn't he do his level best to make it stop? But he had no evidence!

He turned once more. Evidence! Where could he find evidence to support one or the other theory? In their deserted tent, he concluded. And tonight was the occasion to check. Everyone else was holed up in theirs. He would be all alone. It would be only a matter of minutes to walk over and open the tent. And then he would see for himself.

No, he couldn't do that. _Just because there is no lock, it doesn't mean it isn't breaking and entering. Perhaps if I talk to Tony, from man to man?_ Or would he be laughed at again and his concerns dismissed as the musings of a jealous man? That he couldn't bear, he knew. So, he had to search the tent. There was no other choice.

Hastily he got dressed and opened his tent. Rain lashed his face. Within seconds he was soaked to the bones. Thunder rolled over him. But in the light of his flash-light he found his way over to Nelson's tent and though he had wet and frozen fingers he managed to open the zip fastening. When lightning struck close by he scrambled into it. The cone of light fell immediately onto a small lantern and a box of matches. John lit it up with shaking fingers and looked around. There were two sets of sleeping-bags and pillows. As if drawn by magic to it, he fell to his knees next to them. Gingerly he took one and raised it against his nose. It smelled faintly of flowers. This must be Jeannie's pillow. He closed his eyes and took deep breathes to fill himself with her alluring scent. This was where she slept. Shyly he reached out to caress the sleeping-bag, before he snatched his hand back. He wasn't a pervert! And he was on a mission!

He started to look around. There were two suitcases. He crawled over to them and opened one – Tony's clothes, neatly folded and smelling of detergent. Uninteresting. John opened the second one – more of his clothes. Puzzled he looked around. Where were Jeannie's clothes? His eyes fell onto a oriental looking vase between the suitcases and the sleeping-bags. _Hmh, must be Jeannie's._ He couldn't imagine that Tony would ever bring a vase for flowers to a camping-trip. He dismissed it and sat down to have a good look and let the evidence speak for itself. Because fact was: but for the second sleeping bag there was no trace of a second person living with Tony Nelson in this tent. It was as if she didn't even exist!

 _What are the drapes between the poles for?_ Getting up again he walked over to the first and pushed it to the side. There was nothing behind it but the tent's wall. He stepped closer and moved through the poles and found himself in a... bathroom?! Reflexively he reached for the light switch. The bright light hurt his eyes and he blinked a few times, until he had gotten used to it. White tiles, a sink with a man's toilette articles, a razor, soap, aftershave, toothbrush and tooth-paste, a comb – but no trace of a woman's. An ordinary sink with ordinary stuff over the small shelf. A mirror that reflected his pale face. He turned around and found a cabinet and opened it. But it also held only ordinary bathroom stuff like towels and flannels and a spare bar of soap – stuff that could be found in millions of other bathrooms all over the world. His gaze fell onto the shut door. Where would he go, when he opened it again and stepped through? He cackled. Had he fallen through a rabbit's hole? And what was the real world? This bathroom or the tent? Fearfully he opened the door, stepped through with one foot and... he was greeted by the warm light of the lantern and two innocent looking sleeping-bags. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. John opened his eyes again. Still there were the two sleeping-bags. He turned back. He stood with one foot on the floor of a bathroom and he looked at bathroom things. He turned his head back: Two sleeping -bags in a tent.

Fearing for his sanity, John rushed out of the tent, closing it behind him by reflex. He had found his proof. Jeannie was a witch with supernatural powers! And Tony Nelson must be fully aware of that!

 _What am I supposed to do now?_

* * *

With Jeannie in his arm and one hand on the steering wheel Tony sped a bit above the speed limit northwards back to Little Bear Lake on the Interstate, frequently looking back into his rear-mirror. The moment there were no lights to be seen in the back nor coming up to them, he nodded and Jeannie blinked.

A fraction of a second later Tony yanked his arm under Jeannie's head back and gripped the steering wheel tight with both hands as he put his foot on the brake. The headlights illuminated only a couple of yards in front of them before the cones of light were swallowed up by the inkiness of the night. They had gone from a star-spangled night sky right into the worst rain storm he had witnessed in a very long time. Jeannie screamed and braced herself against the glove compartment. Feeling the car swerving violently to the side and hearing Tony's yell, she blinked again and they stood on the usual spot at the side of the small road near their camp site. Both were breathing heavily in the aftershock. When lightning struck and thunder rolled, she yelped again and Tony pulled her towards him, needing to hold her as much as she needed to be held. When they had calmed down Jeannie blinked again and they were in their tent and dressed up in their sleeping clothes.

* * *

Silently they listened to the howling wind and the platter of the rain against the tent's canvas above them. Jeannie had blinked the temperature in the tent up high to counter the cold outside, so that they laid comfortably on their sleeping bags with their legs entwined.

Tony's mind was blank and he was looking up to the dent in the tent's roof and idly wondered, if the water would finally overflow or if the canvas would tear under the water's weight first. Mechanically he caressed Jeannie's arm. He felt warm and content.

Jeannie on the other hand mulled things over in her mind as she listened to her master's calm heartbeat under her ear. Absent-mindedly she drew lazy circles on his shoulder.

"Master?"

"Hmh?"

"Do you sometimes think about what would have happened if you had not found my bottle?"

He stopped caressing her arm and looked down on the golden crown of her head. After a moment or two he cleared his throat.

"I suppose I would've died from thirst in case they hadn't found me in time or I would've married Melissa in case they had."

She was silent, rethinking his somewhat matter-of-fact answer.

"Do you ever regret it, master?"

"What?"

"Not having got married to her." Jeannie gave voice to one of her innermost fears, brought to the forefront by meeting the other couple earlier this evening.

Tony paused. Did he ever regret it?

"I like how things turned out." He answered eventually. "I was a very different man when I asked Melissa to marry me. I just had been transferred to NASA and I was eager to make a name for myself. I was highly ambitious, perhaps a bit too ambitious and totally focussed on my career. I wanted to become NASA's rising star. I wanted to be the first they thought of for every mission into orbit. And I acted accordingly. I was dedicated and mingled with the brass. And I wanted to marry the right woman. Not an heiress, or I could've married Diane, but one with the right connections and who knew how to move in society, who could help me advance. A woman poised, intelligent and sensible and not without her own social ambitions."

He tightened his hold of her in his arms when he felt Jeannie's agitation, knowing full well that he was describing a woman that couldn't be more unlike his genie.

"And I found that woman in Melissa. We shared the same goals, the same dreams and ambition and she was beautiful. She seemed to be perfect for me. I thought I wanted and needed someone to manage my life while I concentrated on my career. But then, I don't know how or why, things changed between us. I'd like to think it was when she became less of a help and more of a controlling factor. You know how I hate it, if one tries to take over my life. She began to make appointments for me regardless of my wishes and my own agenda to further her own _._ I felt trapped. But there was no way out for me and I think I started subconsciously to long for more or something different. And then all of a sudden there were you."

He pressed a kiss into her hair and smiled, when she relaxed again.

"And the more time we spent together, the more I realised that what Melissa and I had wasn't enough any more. I started to dream a different dream, a better one. You can't ever image how much life and colour you brought to me. My life is so much richer now that I've got you. I'm still ambitious. I still want doves, perhaps even stars on my shoulders. I still want to be the first to walk on the moon. That hasn't changed and I can't imagine it ever will. But I want so much more now, Jeannie. You bring out a part of me I never knew existed in such depth. I'm more spontaneous, at least I try to be. I take every day as an adventure, because I don't know what it'll bring but I know whatever it is, I'll just roll with it instead of trying to control it. I know I will be able to handle it with your help. I'm more flexible, more able to think on my feet and outside of the box. I laugh more and I like the man staring back at me in the mirror when I shave in the morning. I think you've made me a better man. And now lying with you in my arms, listening to the rain, I can't imagine myself to be anywhere else. To go back to your original question: No, I have absolutely no regrets, darling. I'm a happy man."

He let her go, when she moved to prop herself up a bit to look down on him in the soft, flickering light of their small lantern. Tenderly she moved her fingers through his hair, before she bent down to kiss him softly several times.

"I'm happy, too, master. I would gladly spend another two thousand years in my bottle, if I knew at the end you will be there to open it."

"Jeannie..." Tony breathed and heaved himself up to roll them over. He bent down her to kiss her, when he felt her hands push slightly against his chest. He opened his eyes to gaze at her anxiously. She wasn't pushing him away again, was she? Was Atlanta just a wonderful fluke?

"I have got something to tell you." She bit her lower lip.

"What is it?" He tenderly pushed a wisp of hair out of her face.

"I'm responsible for you not marrying Melissa." She rushed out her words.

"What?!" He paused in his caress. He had always thought he had dreamt of crying in Jeannie's arms and fervently expressing his innermost wish not to have to marry Melissa. What if that hadn't been a dream but what had really happened after Roger had brought the drunk groom home from his bachelor party and put him to bed with a bucket next to it? He froze. Another disjoint memory surfaced: He had got sick and she had rubbed his back while he had heaved over the side of the bed into the bucket, comforting him with kind words like mother would comfort her sick child. But the next morning there were neither traces of him dirtying the sheets and the floor, nor had Jeannie behaved any different towards him and so he had dismissed everything as a weird, alcohol-induced dream. OH GOD! This exactly was the reason he rarely seriously drank, if he did at all. He always got over-emotional and made a mess.

"What did you do?" He tried to put things back into perspective. This was not about him and his embarrassment and his spontaneous promise to never, ever drink again, but about Jeannie's turmoil over Lis and Caldwell.

"I insinuated to Grover Caldwell that he was still in love with Melissa and she with him and now I feel terribly guilty. She was not the right one for you and now... do you think they can be happy, master? Or did I ruin two lives?"

"I... don't know. Is it because we met them?" He flopped to his side. He didn't want to think about Lis and Caldwell and have them ruin the mood. He wanted to kiss Jeannie and have her kiss him, he wanted to feel her velvet skin under his hands and taste her familiar scent under his lips.

"Yes. I just can't stop thinking about them."

"Did you cast a spell on them?" Apparently they would need to talk about them first. Tony sighed mentally.

"No... I just used Melissa's voice the morning after your bachelor party to tell him that he still loved her and she him."

"Then you only voiced a truth that was deep inside of them. Grover wouldn't have acted the way he did, if it hadn't been true. And the same goes for Melissa. You're not responsible for their actions, Jeannie. They had a choice and they made it. And whether they're happy with each other or not is not our concern, though I hope it for their sake, of course. But they've no part in our life. They're in the past. And as for me, they can stay there." He hovered over her again. "This is now, Jeannie. Our now."

"Our now." She repeated softly shivering under the dark intensity of his last words, and slung her arms around his neck to pull him down onto her. Tony watched her raising her head to meet him halfway and when her eyes fluttered close in anticipation of his kiss, he closed his eyes, too, and let himself go with a quiet moan.

Minutes later he found himself panting on his back and Jeannie was pulling up his t-shirt and sneaking a hand under it to draw circles. His stomach muscles quivered under her attack.

"Jeannie..." He groaned, lost in the sensations Jeannie created. Her fast breathing caressed his ear, while she licked his shell. Her hand wandered down and suddenly...

"JEANNIE!" His hips arched up. She giggled. Her fingers caressed him in a firm, but gentle grip. This was glorious and watching him squirm, pant and groan under her careful ministrations made her feel powerful in a way that had nothing to do with her genie powers and for the first time ever she felt like a woman instead of a tool doing this. She felt neither the familiar shame nor disgust. She felt... free! She giggled again in sheer joy.

Tony tried to raise his arms, to reach for her, but he felt utterly boneless. He knew he should return the favour, kiss her, caress her, but this felt too good and he felt helpless to do anything but enjoy her touch.

"Oh god, yes... don't stop, Jeannie... please..."

He would make it up to her later. Tomorrow. He would dedicate himself to her pleasure and satisfaction for the rest of their holidays without any regard for his own fulfilment as long as she kept doing now what she did... exactly...like...this. He tensed up. No, too fast, too soon! It had been too long since he had felt the touch of another hand than his own.

"Jeannie..." he panted to warn her.

"Do I please you, master?" She whispered into his ear.

When her question and its implication finally registered in his foggy mind a bucket of ice-cold water couldn't have cooled him off any faster. _I'm your servant... Thou can ask anything of thy slave, master... Thou hast set me free. That means I'm free to please thee and I'm going to please thee very much_ reverberated through the back of his skull and suddenly it took on a very different meaning.

"Stop it!" He commanded sharply.

Confused she jerked away from him and sat up.

"Was it not right for you, master? Tell me what I did wrong and I..."

Tony hastily pulled up his underwear, refastened his shorts, yanked down his t-shirt and sat up.

"We need to talk, Jeannie."

What had she done wrong? He had been enjoying her touch. She knew that! All she wanted tonight was to please him...

"But you liked... just now."

"Yes, very much. It was wonderful. I love every hug, every kiss and every caress you give me. That's not the point."

"Then what is it?"

"Jeannie, please look at me." He laid a finger under her chin to raise her head. She didn't meet his eyes.

"You're not my... love slave. You don't _have_ to do this, any of this, if you don't want to. Do you understand? Not ever." He pushed hard fighting down his embarrassment. "You take such good care of me, darling, and just now you even... And I'm not sure...Please tell me: Do I please you, too?"

Jeannie smiled radiantly at him. If that was all that bothered her master...

"Of course you do. I am very pleased if you are pleased with me."

Tony sighed. "No, that's not what I mean, Jeannie. I mean it literally and I ask you to be honest with me. Don't say what you think I like to hear. Do I please you? Do you physically enjoy my touch, do you like it when I kiss you?"

"Enjoy physically?" She cocked her head.

"Yes. When you touch me, Jeannie, I get all tingly and... you know...it's most enjoyable for me." He gestured down his body. "But do you feel it, too?"

Tony looked anxiously at her. There still was so much to learn about genies. What if... what if they were incapable of enjoying themselves physically? Was that the reason she became skittish the moment he wanted to share more than kisses with Jeannie? What if he would never be able to arouse and satisfy her? Or worse, what if she just let it happen and pretended to like it, because she felt it was her duty as a genie? _Every_ wish...

Jeannie was a very beautiful woman, what if her former masters had taken advantage of her and she didn't even realise what had been done to her? Was _he_ taking advantage of her now? Tony felt nauseous all of a sudden.

Jeannie only sparsely talked about her former masters and he had never asked. Had never wanted to know. Had her affections never been reciprocated? Had there never been a master who had truly cherished the woman? Had there never been one that loved her enough to want to marry her?

Marriage... _a genie who marries her master looses her power_ he recalled. What if marriage meant something entirely different in the days of old? What if it literally meant the joining of flesh? Was this some sort of protection for genies who were otherwise utterly at the mercy of their masters? What ordinary master would ever be interested in the flesh, if it meant jeopardising their powers? A genie without powers was useless. But there were certainly ways to work around the joining while still achieving fulfilment as she had shown him so adeptly just now. And when he thought about her kisses...What had Jeannie done the moment they had met? She had kissed him. How often in the beginning had Jeannie thrown herself at him – misguided in her belief that _pleasuring_ him was part of her unspoken duties? And yet... she didn't seem to understand him, when he talked about her pleasure. Could it be that Jeannie honestly didn't know? Could she be still that innocent and pure despite all? How could that be possible?

Tony felt shivers going down his spine. To be the first... to have her never been touched by another before... a fierce protectiveness and a primal urge to possess claimed him. To have this desirable woman ever only know his touch... This was beyond anything he had ever known. He licked his lips in nervous excitement. Would he be equal to it? Would she allow it and grant him this privilege?

Jeannie was utterly confused. Her master's pleasure was her pleasure. Why did he look at her so strangely?

Slowly Tony reached out for her and gripped gently her shoulders to urge her to lie down.

"Shhh, Jeannie. It's alright. Just let me...Lay back...Trust me. I'm not going to do anything you don't like and you can say no at any time. I only ask you to be honest with me."

Carefully gauging her every reaction Tony began his gentle ministrations and fact finding mission by kissing softly every finger's tip. He pressed a kiss into the palm of her hand that had caressed him just a couple of minutes ago, before he moved to the back of her hand and then her wrist and up to her elbow... little fluttering kisses and bold, tiny licks and nips... her shoulder, round underneath her t-shirt. He watched goosebumps breaking out on her skin. Pleased he heard little, relaxed sighs from above his head. He propped himself higher up and pulled her t-shirt down and away as far as it would go and let his lips follow the curve of her collarbone, her neck. A little suck and he felt her pulse jump under his lips. He smiled inwardly and decided to spend a bit more time at this spot before he moved further up to bite lightly into her ear lobe.

"My darling..." He breathed softly into her ear and felt her shiver and heard her breath hitch.

Countless kisses that worshipped her brows, her eyes, her nose, her cheeks and her lips made Jeannie feel like floating on air. What special magic her master possessed! She felt utterly relaxed and yet coiled tightly, spiralling up and up... sensation upon sensation. She had long lost any sense of location, she didn't know where her master's lips were, his hands or his hot breath on her own heated skin. She was just one bright, hot ball of sensation. Never in her entire life had she felt like this, like she crawled out of her skin, wanting more and still more, yet shying away from these overwhelming sensations.

She was exquisite... Her soft, peachy skin had taken on a rosy hue and a light sheen covered the visible skin of her body. Tony knew he should stop soon, any minute now, before he overwhelmed her completely. His hand slipped under her t-shirt and caressed her taught yet quivering belly. The urge to bend down and lave and kiss the tiny belly button that drove him to the brink of madness every time it peeked out of her harem pants became harder to fight. Instead he pulled out his hand and let it inch up, while he gazed intently into her veiled eyes hidden beneath barely opened eye-lids. How passionate Jeannie was, how receptive to his kisses and caresses. How could he have thought for even a second she might be incapable of enjoying herself physically? What fools the others had been... Wild pride and relief ran though his veins, nourished by every moan and sigh she gave him.

The moment he cupped her through her thin t-shirt, she arched into him.

"MASTER!"

Gently he massaged her firm, hot flesh and felt one hard little nub prodding into his palm. God, she was so... Taking a deep breath he reigned in his getting out of control libido. How he wished he could peel away her t-shirt and do all the things that were still out of bounds.

"Yes.. please, master..." She moaned loudly and her eyes fell close, while she lost herself in his passionate kiss.

If only he could just continue, but it wasn't right yet. Jeannie needed time to come to terms with these obviously up to now unknown feelings he invoked in her. She needed to be introduced to her own pleasure carefully and gently. Slowly he ended their kiss and forced his hand back to her waist and kept lightly caressing her side. Languidly she opened her eyes and immediately searched for his.

"Hi... " he smiled, his love for her shining brightly in his eyes, and watched her calm down.

"Hi... " she answered shyly. Now that the onslaught of her senses had stopped she reassessed the situation. She was so happy. Confused and overwhelmed and so, so happy. She giggled freely and stretched her body to relax all the muscles that had tensed up and for a moment Tony likened it to the sensual movements of a content cat.

"I think I know now what you meant when you spoke about tingles."

"I'm very happy to learn that I can make you feel like this. See, that's what I meant earlier. You make me tingly and I make you tingly, as it is supposed to be."

"Master...?"

"Hmh, darling?"

"Can you make me feel tingly every time?"

"I hope so, Jeannie. I hope that you will always enjoy my touch."

"I think I will, master." She looked up at him in wonder. Her master was the greatest, the kindest, the most wonderful man ever. And he just promised her that this would happen again and again. And gazing into his eyes, she fell in love with him all over again.

"What about you? You did not..."

"Not tonight, Jeannie." He kissed her forehead. And in silent agreement they climbed into their sleeping bags and Jeannie blinked out the light. After exchanging a couple of soft goodnight kisses, Jeannie nestled into his side and relaxed into his embrace, entranced by the fact that she still felt the phantom touch of his hand and that it sent hot jolts through her body and made her legs rub and press together.

Caius Marcellus Flavus' painful grip of her pony tail and her neck as he forced her mouth down on him until she choked would never be forgotten, nor Harun ibn Hamid's high pitched moans as he gripped her hand tightly until she bruised to show her how to touch him, but their memory didn't hold the same sway over her any more. Tonight she had been introduced to the woman in her and her master left her hungry for more and curious. And what was once so degrading and an instrument of her masters' lust, had empowered her and become an act of love.

For a moment she was tempted to wake up her master and ask him to make her tingly again, but he was asleep and furthermore, perhaps he wouldn't want to do it right this moment? It wasn't as if she could demand it from him or could she? She thought back and analysed their behavioural pattern. In the past, when she had been the instigator of tender moments, he had always bolted quickly enough, rebuffed her and/or scolded her for behaving inappropriately. So maybe American women weren't supposed to show their men how much they desired them, but wait demurely for them to make their move? She rolled her eyes. Whatever for? When one loved one another, what did it matter who kissed whom first?

It was not enough to lay in his arms but being separated from him by two layers of sleeping bag cloth. She needed to feel closer to him. Blinking two sleeping-bags became one large. She snuggled even closer and Tony tightened his hold of her in his sleep.

She frowned. It was still not close enough. For a moment she was tempted to blink his shirt away, too. Though he wouldn't like that she assumed. But there was something else she could do to feel even closer to him. Stealthily she sneaked a hand beneath his shirt. Earlier she had been too focussed on pleasuring him, but now she took her time to appreciate his smooth and warm skin. She'd love to see it, breathe in its scent and taste it, too, she realised. But..

She would never understand the people's puritanical fear of naked skin. Even her master, who was by comparison a very open-minded man, rarely showed skin. And for the love of the Gods, she simply couldn't understand it. To her, he was the most handsome man ever, even without a proper beard. He had no reason to hide himself. She mulled this thought over. Perhaps it was a good thing, that he was so modest. If he showed more of himself, she would never have a moment's peace and forever chasing other women away. He was hers. And that for all eternity. Somehow she would find a way to make him immortal, too. His remaining life-time of about fifty years, if she kept him in good health and fate smiled upon them, was simply not enough. She didn't want to loose her powers either, when they would get married. She wanted them to remain forever young and be as they were now. Happy and in love.

It took her a while before her breath evened out, too.

 _tbc_


End file.
